Aston Martin DBX – long-term-review

The first two reports for our new long-term Aston Martin DBX saw our recently departed editor-in-chief Charlie Turner spec the car with input from Aston’s design guru Marek Reichman, then help with the build at the brand-new factory.

But it falls to me to deliver the first report on living with the DBX. That’s right, I’m driving a £185k, 180mph car built by a journalist. The quality control people wouldn’t sign off unless they were confident it was screwed together properly, and all seems as it should be in that respect. Phew.

First impression on the road is that the DBX is massive – it feels bigger than a Range Rover, but it’s only 1cm wider. Perhaps the fact the Rangie is 15cm taller makes the Aston feel much wider.

Regardless, I’ve found myself adjusting my routes to avoid the dreaded width restrictors and switched my supermarket of choice purely on the basis of the parking space widths. The styling may be a little more understated than the Lamborghini Urus but to me it looks unmistakably like a true Aston Martin.

The first thing you note on start-up is the delightful burble of the 4.0-litre V8. It’s a satisfying sound and so much more dignified than the all-out aggression of the Range Rover Sport SVR.

Better still, on the move the handling is just as you’d hope – closer to a proper GT car than a big, heavy SUV. No doubt the fact it’s both lower and lighter than a Range Rover or a Bentley Bentayga helps there.

There will always be those who don’t think that sports car makers should be producing SUVs, but I disagree. The DBX looks, feels and drives like an Aston should, and all that with the family onboard.

It’s a polarising car but personally I love it. It’s more dignified and less opulent than the Urus, Bentley Bentayga and Rolls-Royce Cullinan – and while the Range Rover and Porsche Cayenne are cheaper, they’re far more common on the road. The DBX isn’t cheap but it feels more than a little bit special and if you’ve got the budget, why not? It's made quite the first impression.